It was championship night at the season finale at Wakeeney (KS) Speedway Sunday evening, September 18. Over 100 race teams gathered as track champions were crowned in the four regular divisions, plus an appearance by the MidwestDirt Late Model Series.

The Late Models started 16 cars in their 30-lap main event with pole-sitter Chad Dolan jumping to the early lead before Mike Wiarda took control on lap 4. But the ‘Iceman’ Delbert Smith of Wichita caught Wiarda on lap 10 and used lapped traffic to his advantage to take the lead. Wiarda regained the lead at the halfway mark after a caution on lap 14, but 2 laps later Smith regained the lead and held on to the checkers. Brad Fortney got by Wiarda for second, with pole dash winner Dolan and Chris Kratzer rounding out the top five. Heat race winners were Wiarda and Earl Kinderknecht.

MDLMS Late Models
Heat 1: 1. Mike Wiarda, 2. Chad Dolan, 3. Delbert Smith, 4. Brad Wagoner.
Heat 2: 1. Earl Kinderknecht, 2. Brad Fortney, 3. Gary Gorby, 4. Chris Kratzer.
Dash: Dolan.
Feature: 1. Delbert Smith, 2. Fortney, 3. Wiarda, 4. Dolan, 5. Kratzer, 6. Wagoner, 7. Kinderknecht, 8. Gorby, 9. Dave Conkwright, 10. Vince Wagoner, 11. Daniel Smith, 12. Ryan Heger, 13. Ryan Grit, 14. Tyler Bradshaw (DNF), 15. Doug Sieh Sr. (DNF), 16. Ron Heger (DNF).

By Mike Hughes